Process for Good Packaging, Namely Food Stuffs, Packagings, and Kits for Their Realization

ABSTRACT

A process for carrying out a packaging for food stuffs, such as hazelnuts, dried fruits, or powdered milk, packaged in bulk, comprises the steps of: —provision of a big bag container ( 2 ), —carrying out a filling of the above said product (P), into the big bag container ( 2 ), —provision of a seal enclosure ( 3 ) susceptible of containing the big bag container ( 2 ) with the above said filling of product (P) therein, and—sealing the enclosure ( 3 ) containing the big bag container ( 2 ), with the above said filling of product (P) therein, a sub atmospheric pressure level. Preferably, a protective inert gas, such as nitrogen, is inserted into the enclosure ( 3 ) containing the big bag container ( 2 ).

The present invention generally relates to packaging techniques of foodstuffs.

More specifically, the invention relates to packaging techniques makinguse of currently named “big bag” containers (other current names of thiskind of containers being “bulk bag” or FIBC, acronym for FlexibleIntermediate Bulk Container).

Such containers (hereafter generally referred to as “big bagcontainers”) are susceptible of being used for transporting food stuffssuch as powdered milk, dried fruit, hazelnuts, etc., e they aredisclosed, for example, in EP-A-1316515, FR-A-2802189, WO-A-89/00957,WO-A-01-17069, WO-A-01/27000, WO-A-03106269, and GB-A-2327072.

Big bags are usually filled with bulk goods and are made of flexiblelaminar material, such as a synthetic yarn cloth (i.e. a polypropylenecloth). In a current embodiment, when the big bag has been unfolded andfilled with goods, it takes a rough parallelepiped shape which enables,for example, it to be moved e transported on pallets. For a betterunderstanding, without it to be limiting any how, the currently used bigbags may have basic dimensions in the range of 100-120 cm and may be 180cm in height.

Of course, these dimensions cause the big bag, when filled with goods,to have a significant weight. For this reason, big bags are usuallyprovided with one or more lifting ears on its top, which enable tosuspend the big bag to be emptied.

The same considerations about the big bag dimensions cause the big bag,when filled with product, to tend to a certain extent to “widen”, takinga shape, which is far from the ideal parallelepiped shape. This is whyit is known to provide inner reinforcing elements, to restrict thewidening phenomenon of big bags under the inside product bias (see forinstance the above mentioned WO-A-01/27000).

This kind of container spreading causes its own filling/evacuation modesto gradually tend to be more and more standard, even for what concernsthe provision on the big bag top and bottom zones with product fillingand evacuation apertures, with the related opening/closing modes.

The practice of making big bags of an apertured material, such as acloth, causes the big bag, per se, to be permeable to the externalagents, such as moisture, and to be unable to give the packaged producta suitable protection against these agents. For sake of clarity, it hasto be noted that the constituent material of the big bag it self mayalso be negatively affected by such external agents and may encounter,for instance, tearing. Tearings, and resulting risk of undesired leakageof product, could be produced by hitting against obstacles or in thatthe product filled big bags are violently dropped on the ground, while,for instance, moved by a straddle truck.

This is the reason why it can be assumed to protect the productcontained within a big bag by modifying the big bag, making it become adouble wall container. This result is achievable by disposing a productreception container or bag, into the big bag, having a continuous wall,capable to isolate the product form external agents. Carrying out thispractice enables, for instance, the making of a controlled atmospherewithin the protective bag (for instance under-vacuum, or partiallyinert, for instance by introducing nitrogen), thereby adopting currentmodes for containers of smaller dimensions.

“Double wall” containers are broadly known in the art, as witnessed, byway of example, in Patents Nos. U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,692, U.S. Pat. No.6,312,742, EP-A-0097391, EP-A-1120357 or WO-A-92/16439. Most of thesedouble wall containers are essentially referable to typology thatprovides for making the container outer wall of a more or less rigidmaterial, while the inner protective “bag” is made of flexible material.

The hypothetical transposition of such a practice to a big bagencounters several difficulties.

First, choosing to dispose a contained product protective bag into thebig bag becomes antagonist of some of the clearest advantages related tothe use of big bags.

For example, a bag enclosure (substantially similar to a big sack madeof flexible material) disposed within the big bag makes the loading ofgoods into the big bag clearly difficult, since the support somehow ofthe bag within the big bag is required when filling, moreover when it isbeing loaded with the product falling inside. More drawbacks will ariseduring the discharging phase of the big, unless discharging aperturesare provided on the lower wall of the bag (which is not easy), which areinitially closed and subsequently somehow openable at the positions ofthe big bag discharging apertures.

Yet, as previously said, big bags are often provided with reinforcingframes therein, provided to cause the big bag to keep a substantialparallelepiped shape, even when full with product. These reinforcingmembers, such that they do not hinder evidently the direct filling ofthe big bag with the packaged product, will be an obstacle when a bag isto be inserted into the big bag.

Yet, a bag or sack placed within the big bag would be intended toreceive and support, at least in the first instance, the mechanicalstress arising from the material weight. This factor would be even moreimportant when filling such a bag with the product and place it insidethe big bag subsequently, is desired. Such practice assumes to have abag capable to bear the product bias and weight by itself. Beside otherdrawbacks, making a bag enclosure capable of supporting adequately themechanical stresses of the product would imply the use of flexiblematerials of a given thickness, susceptible to be expensive. By the way,it should be remembered that, especially when transporting food stuffs,big bags tend to be considered as consumer products, not intended to bere-used. They have to be as low cost as possible, this requirement beingnecessary for the bag or sack, intended to be placed into the big bag.

Yet, with a bag filled with product and placed within the big bag andthen subjected to the making of a vacuum and/or injection of aprotective inert gas thereinto, it would usually difficult to realizeimmediately of such possible holes that could fail the vacuum/controlledatmosphere conditions, resulting in a risk of quick perishment of theproduct within the package. By the way it should be remembered that incase of product packaging (e.g. hazelnuts) which have annualharvest-times, the big bag is currently employed as product stockingcontainer, in which keeping the products in excellent storage conditionsfor a substantially equal period between the two subsequent harvests,i.e. one year time, is desired.

The present invention has the aim to fully and satisfactorily solve theabove-mentioned problems.

According to the present invention, such purpose is achieved due to aproduct packaging process having the features claimed in the appendedclaims and which are part of the teachings of the present Application.

The invention also relates to the package and making kit thereof.

The invention will be now described, only by way of example and notlimiting, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a packaging according to theinvention, with some parts of the depiction cut away for sake ofillustration clarity; and

FIGS. 2 to 6 schematically illustrate the process leading to the makingof such packaging.

Generally speaking, the herein described packaging, throughout denotedby 1, comprises two fundamental members, i.e.:

-   -   a big bag container 2, and    -   a laminar enclosure 3, substantially similar to a large case or        large sack, intended to wrap the big bag container 2.

The container 2 may correspond to any big bag currently used. Thus, itmay be any kind of big bag actually commercially available at the timeof filing the present Application, for example, generally parallelepipedshaped and sized as above noted (only by way of reference and thereforethe invention is not intended to be limited). The container 2 may bemade for example of polypropylene cloth.

The reference to a parallelepiped shape is not to be intended to limitthe invention; this is also valid for the choice to provide lifting ears2 a, at the upper vertexes of the container 2. Conveniently, the big bagcontainer 2 may be provided with reinforcing members (not depicted inthe drawings, but of a well known kind). Such reinforcing members areintended to cause the container 2 to substantially keep its shape whenbeing filled with the product and when this filling has been completed,particularly when the packaging 1 with the product therein is moved,transported, stocked and fitted on the discharging apparatus of thecontainer.

To better understand, it will be assumed hereinafter—again by way ofexample—that such a product, denoted by P in FIG. 1, is composed ofhazelnuts (for example shelled hazelnuts and probably subjected to atoasting process).

About the embodiment of the bag enclosure 3, processes well known in theart can be used. The sectional view of FIG. 2 shows a cloth portion(e.g. polypropylene) which is part of the container 2 wall juxtaposed toa portion of the enclosure 3 wall. In the currently preferred embodiment(which is not intended to limit the scope of the invention), theenclosure 3 is composed of a four-layer laminar material, substantiallymade of a sandwich structure comprising two layers of nylon cloth 3 aand an aluminium layer 3 b interposed therebetween. The sandwich thusrealized is subsequently covered (“coupled”) with a heat sealablematerial 3 c, typically made of polyethylene, on the side intended toface the inside of the packaging, thus toward the big bag 2 wall.

FIG. 2 points out the likelihood, given by the process herein described,of using a laminar material for the enclosure 3, that is enough thin(its thickness being typically around 250 micron) compared to a big bag2 cloth around 1 millimetre thick. A thin laminar material of thedescribed type is commercially available at a low cost, which enables itto be used as a disposable material.

Again the sectional view of FIG. 2 allows to appreciate an importantaspect of the process herein described, i.e. the fact that the enclosure3 is placed outside the big bag container 2—and not therein.

This aspect is even more appreciable when referring to the packagingsequence showed in FIGS. 3 to 6.

Particularly, FIG. 3 depicts the big bag container 2 unfolded and placedon a pallet 4, preferably with a separating layer (interflap) 5interposed, made of material such as cardboard.

FIG. 3 shows the big bag 2 hooked at the ears 2 a, such that it ispositioned at the air outlet of a filling silos S. Material P, intendedto be packaged, pours out of this outlet, usually by free fall. Thedescribed filling modes and tools needed to practice it are well knownin the art and they do not need to be described in more detail herein.

FIG. 4 shows that, when the filling of product P below the silos S hasbeen completed, big bag 2 is wrapped by the enclosure 3, using thegeneral bag or sack shape of the enclosure 3 itself. The practice ofplacing the big bag 2 into the enclosure 3, when the filling withproduct P has been completed, is actually preferred, but it is notimperative for carrying out the invention. Big bag 2 may also beinserted into the enclosure 3 before starting the filling step, or,alternatively, also while the filling step is in process. This may beachieved providing means (not explicitly showed) which enable theenclosure 3 to be supported, such that it keeps in the wrappingconditions of big bag 2.

Whatever the adopted practice is, the achievable final result is the onedepicted in FIG. 5, with big bag 2 full of product P and closed (alsohere according to criteria know di per se) at an outlet part 2 b (it maybe a closing part which is tied with a string, noose or similar member).The big bag 2 filled with product P is disposed within the caseenclosure 3, the whole being laid down on pallet 4.

FIG. 6 schematically depicts the conclusive steps of preparing thepackaging 1. Such a sequence of steps essentially provides the closureof the enclosure 3, usually carried out by closing the bag forming theenclosure at its outlet side, thereby forming two lips 30 (better seenin the perspective view in FIG. 1) sealingly welded to each other byheat sealing. Such step is carried out by exploiting the presence of theabove lips on the opposite faces, the heat sealable material layer 3(see FIG. 2). The above heat sealing operation is obviously replaceablewith equivalent processes (ultrasonic sealing, deposition welding,crimp, etc.).

Before welding the lips 30, using a suitable bell B (using well knowncriteria, these being the same criteria already used for smallerdimension sack packaging), a cycle will be started, which provides:

-   -   forming a vacuum level (sub atmospheric pressure) within the        enclosure 3 containing the big bag 2 and filling with product P,        resulting in the removal of most of the air therefrom,    -   a first injection of protective inert gas (typically nitrogen),    -   a second discharging action by formation of sub atmospheric        pressure level within the enclosure 3, and    -   supplying an injection of protective inert gas.

Obviously, the described sequence corresponds only to a preferredexample of embodiment of the invention and it is not intended to belimiting di per se of the scope of the embodiment of the invention.Particularly, the injection of protective inert gas (such as nitrogen)is a preferable, but not essential element, of the scope of theembodiment of the invention. Regarding forming a sub atmosphericpressure level (vacuum), obviously, it may be carried out by one or moresteps.

Generally, forming a rather “hard” vacuum level within enclosure 3(where there are the big bag 2 and the product P), for instance to reachsub atmospheric pressure levels ranging from 70 to 80 mm of mercury, hasproven to be preferable. A typical value is around 76 mm of mercury,which corresponds to a value equal to one tenth of normal atmosphericpressure, i.e. 760 mm of mercury.

Forming the above said sub atmospheric pressure (i.e. “vacuum” forming)results in the enclosure 3 being biased (very strongly, when high vacuumlevels are adopted, as above mentioned) against the walls of big bag 2,with the product P therein. This results in the under vacuum packagingthus made (see FIG. 1) being made rigid, so that the big bag keepsexcellently its parallelepidal shape. This notably helps the moving andtransport operations of packaging 1.

The description of FIGS. 3 to 6 sequences allows appreciating that thepackaging 1 is made without changing appreciably the big bag fillingwith product P. Which step may be carried out according to basically thesame modes of those currently used.

The seal enclosure 3, which is a continuous enclosure, (the above saidcontinuity and seal being ensured principally by the aluminium layer 3 bin the shown exemplary embodiment), ensures the full insulation ofproduct P from external agents susceptible of affect negatively theproduct P.

A similar action of protection is also carried out for the materialcomposing the big bag 2, which is particularly protected (as product P)against moisture seepage or against the risk of incidental penetrationof liquid which are likely to occur.

This means that the above described kind of packaging 1 may be keptoutside, in an outdoor stocking site or in a position exposed to theexternal environment while being transported, if necessary.

The experiences carried out by the Applicants have proven that,surprisingly, also a relatively thin and low cost enclosure, such asthat previously mentioned, shows—when used within the scope of the justdescribed packaging 1—excellent seal features and, moreover, mechanicalstress resistance. This is also true for shock stresses and stresssusceptible to arise when packaging 1 is accidentally dropped on theground while handling.

Without bonding to any specific theory, the Applicants, have reason toassume that this surprising effect is due to the vacuum, formed withinthe packaging, acting by biasing very strongly the cover 3 against thematerial of big bag 2 wall. In such conditions, a synergic action iscarried out, such that the wall material of big bag 2 ends to serve asreinforcing material of enclosure 3. A further benefit arises in that,as previously said, the vacuum action causes the packaging 1 as a wholeto become rigid (becoming substantially a sort of solid block) intowhich phenomena of deformation, susceptible to lead to a tearing of theenclosure 3, may difficultly arise.

In any case, the possible occurrence of such a tearing (or drilling) isimmediately perceivable from outside, in that the enclosure 3 definesprecisely the outer surface of packaging. Thus, realizing immediatelythat a packaging has lost its sealing properties and that, consequently,the product P therein is no longer protected against external agents,may be possible. This allows, for instance, to readily intervening byemptying the packaging of product P therein, before it may perish.

The discharging/emptying steps of packaging 1, just described, are easy.In practice, the emptying step may be carried out simply by tearing andremoving only one part of enclosure 3, thereto, for example, uncover thelifting ears 2 a, which enables to lift and hang the big bag 2. At thispoint, the enclosure 3 may be removed (if not completely, at least atthe zones where the discharging outlets of big bag 2 are), carrying out,thus, the downloading of product P, based on the same modes of thosecurrently used for usually employed big bags.

Obviously, it being understood that the principle of the invention, thefeatures of the embodiment and the embodiments may be broadly variedbased on the above description and illustration, given only by way ofexample and therefore not limiting, without departing from the scope ofthe invention, such as defined in the appended claims.

1. Process to make a packaging, comprising the steps of: providing a bigbag type container (2), carrying out the filling of product (P) intosaid big bag container (2), —providing a seal enclosure (3) able toenclose said big bag container (2) with said filling of product (P), andsealing said enclosure (3), enclosing said big bag container (2) withsaid filling of product (P), forming a sub-atmospheric pressure level insaid seal enclosure (3).
 2. Process according to claim 1, characterizedin that it comprises the step of introducing a protective inert gas intosaid enclosure, containing said big bag container (2).
 3. Processaccording to claim 2, characterised in that it comprises the step ofselecting nitrogen as said protective inert gas.
 4. Process according toany preceding claim, characterised in that it comprises the step offorming said sub atmospheric pressure in hard vacuum conditions. 5.Process according to claim 4, characterised by said sub atmosphericpressure corresponding to an mm value of mercury about the same of onetenth of the mm value of mercury of nodal atmospheric pressure. 6.Process according to claim 1, characterised in that said sail enclosure(3) is made of a multi-layer laminar material.
 7. Process according toclaim 1, characterised in that it provides a layer of heat sealablematerial layer (3 c) on the face of said enclosure (3), intended to befacing the interior of the packaging (I) and seals said enclosure (3) bysaid layer of heat sealable material (3 c).
 8. Process according toclaim 1, characterised in that it comprises the step of including intosaid seal enclosure (3) an aluminium layer (3 b).
 9. Process accordingto claim 8, characterised in that it comprises the step of interposingsaid aluminium layer (3 b) in a sandwich structure, in which the outerlayers (3 a) are in form of clothes.
 10. Process according to claim 9,characterised in that said outer layers (3 a) are made of nylon clothes.11. Process according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises theprovision of said big bag container (2) with an apertured wall. 12.Process according to claim 11, characterised in that it comprises theprovision of said big bag container (2) with a wall of interwovenmaterial.
 13. Process according to claim 12, characterised in that itcomprises the provision of said big bag container (2) with a wall ofsynthetic yarn cloth, such as polypropylene.
 14. Process according toclaim 1, characterised in that it comprises the provision of said bigbag container (2) with a wall thickness of around 1 millimetre. 15.Process according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises theprovision of said seal enclosure (3) with a wall thickness of around 250micron.
 16. Process according to claim 1, characterised in that itcomprises the carrying out of said filling of product (P) into said bigbag container (2) before inserting said big bag container (2) into saidseal enclosure (3).
 17. Process according to claim 1, characterised inthat it comprises the forming of a sub atmospheric pressure level insaid seal enclosure (3), by carrying out several steps.
 18. Processaccording to claim 2, characterised in that it comprises theintroduction of an inert gas protecting said enclosure (3), containingsaid big bag container (2), carrying out several steps.
 19. Processaccording to claim 17, characterised in that it comprises alternatesteps of applying sub atmospheric pressure to said seal enclosure (3)and insertion steps of said protective inert gas into said sealenclosure (3).
 20. Process according to claim 1, characterised in thatit comprises the step of disposing said big bag container (2) onto apallet (4).
 21. Process according to claim 19, characterised in that itcomprises the step of interposing a separating laminar layer (5) betweensaid big bag container (2) and said pallet (4).
 22. Process according toclaim 21, characterised in that said separating laminar layer is acardboard layer (5).
 23. Process according to claim 21, characterised bysaid seal enclosure (3) being placed in a position interposed betweensaid big bag container (2) and said pallet (4), therefore said pallet(4) resulting outer relative to said seal enclosure (3).
 24. Packagingcomprising: a big bag type container (2), a product (P) filling intosaid big bag type container (2), a seal enclosure (3) containing saidbig bag type container (2) with said filling of product (P), said sealenclosure (3) being at a sub atmospheric pressure level.
 25. Packagingaccording to claim 24, characterised in that it comprises an inert gasprotecting said enclosure (3), containing said big bag type container(2).
 26. Packaging according to claim 25, characterised in that saidprotective inert gas is nitrogen.
 27. Packaging according to claim 24,characterised in that said sub-atmospheric pressure corresponds to hardvacuum conditions.
 28. Packaging according to claim 27, characterised inthat said sub atmospheric pressure corresponds to a millimetre value ofmercury which is about the same of one tenth of the millimetre value ofmercury of the normal atmospheric pressure.
 29. Packaging according toclaim 24, characterised in that said seal enclosure (3) is made of amulti-layer laminar material.
 30. Packaging according to claim 24,characterised by a layer of heat sealable material (3 c) being presenton the face intended to face the interior of packaging (1), whichenables to achieve a seal weld of said enclosure (3).
 31. Packagingaccording to claim 24, characterised in that said seal enclosure (3)comprises an aluminium layer (3 b).
 32. Packaging according to claim 31,characterised in that said aluminium layer (3 b) is included in asandwich structure, whose outer layers (3 a) are in form of clothes. 33.Packaging according to claim 32, characterised in that said outer layers(3 a) are composed of nylon clothes.
 34. Packaging according to claim24, characterised in that said big bag container (2) has an aperturedwall.
 35. Packaging according to claim 34, characterised in that saidbig bag container (2) has an interwoven material wall.
 36. Packagingaccording to claim 35, characterised in that said big bag container (2)has a wall made of synthetic yarn cloth, such as polypropylene. 37.Packaging according to claim 23, characterised in that said big bagcontainer (2) has a wall thickness of around 1 millimetre.
 38. Packagingaccording to claim 23, characterised in that said seal enclosure (3) hasa wall thickness of around 250 micron.
 39. Packaging according to claim23, characterised in that said big bag container (2) is placed on apallet (4).
 40. Packaging according to claim 39, characterised by aseparating laminar layer (5) being placed between a big bag container(2) and said pallet (4).
 41. Packaging according to claim 40,characterised in that said separating laminar layer is a cardboard layer(5).
 42. Packaging according to claim 39, characterised in that saidseal enclosure (3) is placed in a position interposed between said bigbag container (2) and said pallet (4), whereby said pallet (4) beingouter relative to said seal enclosure (3).
 43. Packaging according toclaim 39, characterised in that said filling (P) is a filling of foodstuffs.
 44. Packaging according to claim 43, characterised in that saidfood product (P) is composed of hazelnuts.
 45. Kit for carrying out theprocess according to claim 1, said kit comprising: —a big bag typecontainer (2), and—a seal enclosure (3) being able of containing saidbig bag container (2).
 46. Process according to claim 18, characterisedin that it comprises alternate steps of applying sub atmosphericpressure to said seal enclosure (3) and insertion steps of saidprotective inert Las into said seal enclosure (3)